Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Minnesota Timberwolves 2009-10 Outlook:

Before the season officially begins...here's some of my takes on yet another "rebuilding" year for this struggling franchise:

* I'm excited to see Jonny Flynn and what he brings to the table. We haven't had a legitimate threat at the point guard position since Stephon Marbury (we had him before he was shooting youtube videos of himself).

* I'm even more excited not to see Mark Madsen this year going crazy and waving a towel on the bench when the Wolves go on a 4-0 scoring run.

* Mark Blount is officially on our roster...yet, him and his agent are seeking suitors to join forces with. Good luck with that...you non-rebounding, jump shooting, 7-footer with no defensive abilities.

* Kurt Rambis, Bill Laimbeer and Reggie Theus. All were good to great players in the NBA, but the coaching pedigree looks like this: One has pretty much lived in Phil Jackson's shadow for the last several years, one coached women and the other was a coach for a teenage boys + 1 girl team on the Hangtime sitcom. This will be interesting to say the least.

* NBA fans that hope their local team loses in hopes of getting a better draft pick are not true fans. Have we not learned that the draft doesn't guarantee anything in 20 plus years of bad-to-mediocre basketball being played here in Minnesota? Kevin Garnett is the only person we can hang our hat on that we drafted ourselves and made a legitimate positive impact on the franchise...everyone else has either been a bust, or has had a middle of the road type career (but, had to change teams to do so).

SBG

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Week 7 Recap: Vikings @ Steelers

Vikings drop to 6-1 on the year...here are some of my thoughts on the week 7 loss:

* Santonio Holmes flexes his bicep muscle after every catch he makes. Luckily, we only had to endure this twice throughout the whole game. Maybe it's an inside joke, but his biceps or lack thereof are that of an aerobic instructor. Good tone, no body fat...but, nothing to write home about. I would understand if Terrell Owens or Anquan Boldin came up with this...but Santonio Holmes...??

* I watch games for the Adrian Peterson factor. Plays like the stiff arm in Cleveland, or in this case the "I'll flattened you to the ground even though you should be the one putting the lick on me because I'm the defenseless receiver" play. I used to love the Randy Moss factor...but, Adrian is more entertaining to watch because he embarrasses professional athletes on his plays. Moss was more of a freak that just made incredible plays. Adrian is a freak, because he punishes people.

* Is Sidney Rice really this good? He hardly had a pulse his first two years in the league, and now Brett Favre has helped include his name as a possible Pro Bowl candidate this year...kind of amazing when you really think about it. Which brings me to a debate I've had with numerous people...is Jerry Rice's or Cris Carter's career more impressive? Look at the quality and quantity of quarterbacks that Carter had throwing to him over his career compared to the Hall of Fame quarterbacks (Montana and Young) Jerry Rice had throwing to him. And, Carter still wasn't that far off from going toe to toe statistically with Jerry Rice. I choose Cris Carter.

* I felt like we should have won this game...a lot of blown opportunities...however, I think the 49er's were probably thinking that after we stunned them in week 3. Or the Ravens last week after they missed a 44-yard field goal on the last play.

* A quick recap on the majority of the Steelers' scoring drives.
1. Steelers get a field goal after a Chris Kluwe 19 yard punt starts their field position on our own 40 yard line.
2. A touchdown was given up before halftime when we suddenly go conservative on defense with two deep safeties.
3. Two defensive touchdowns scored in the fourth quarter.

That's 24 out of there 27 points for the day. Kind of hard to swallow, but as former Viking wide receiver Kelly Campbell used to say, "It is what it is!"

SBG

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Week 6 Recap: Ravens @ Vikings

Vikings squeeze out another win...however, injuries and poor play in the 4th quarter put a damper on the victory. Here are some other random observations:

* Why doesn't Ray Rice get twenty touches a game for the Ravens? This guy is a beast who is not utilized enough in their offense.

* I like Pat Williams. However, he has to be the most overrated player in Minnesota Viking history. He's virtually a special teams specialist. He only plays around 30% of the defensive plays (downs where we think the opposing team is more likely to run the ball). Yet, the local papers are constantly quoting him before and after games...and he's always talking smack. Pat, I need more from you on the field if you're going to run your mouth week in and week out.

* If you are a receiver in the last year of your contract...you want Karl Paymah lined up across from you. He could single-handedly lose a couple games for the Vikings this year if we play him regularly on defense.

* Offsides #91 on the defense...Offsides #91 on the defense ...Offsides #91 on the defense. Add three more reasons to the long list on why I do not like Ray Edwards.

* Antoine Winfield, Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin all get injured in the same game. None of the injuries seem to be serious, but is there any other three player combo on this team that you wouldn't want to get hurt for a good portion of the year (if not, the whole year)...because the backups are a drastic drop off in performance. Favre and Allen come to mind, but Winfield and Harvin add a lot to their respective units, plus the special teams unit. And I know we have Chester Taylor, but Adrian Peterson is in a class by himself.

* Even if Winfield is cleared to play this week, the Vikings should make a move on a corner to add some depth. It would be a shame if we expected Brett Favre and company to outscore every opponent in a shootout from here on out, because the back end of our defense can't cover/stop anyone.

SBG

Friday, October 16, 2009

One Shining Moment(s) Volume 4

More random Minnesota sports figures...and my memories of them...

Leroy Hoard: "If you need one yard, I'll get you three yards...if you need three yards, I'll get you three yards...if you need ten yards, I'll get you three yards." One of the most underrated/hilarious sports quotes we've had in this town...and for that, you've made my pristine list.

Charles Thomas: Most underrated player on the team that never existed. The 1997 Final Four run still brings back a lot of memories for me. Charles was one of my favorites. He didn't get a lot of clock, but he shot the ball well and defended even better. You could tell he was a basketball player (not just an athlete...as are most these days). After the year was through though, he transferred to Eastern Kentucky.

Tony Campbell: This guy was automatic on mid-range jumpers. His whole game was running defenders off baseline screens to catch and shoot the ball. Averaged around 16-19 points per game just doing this for a crappy Timberwolves team. But, he did it within the flow of the game...not forcing the issue like some players do these days...cough intheircontractyear cough MikeJames. Sorry...I haven't gotten my flu shot yet.

Paris Hamilton: Bust. Sid Hartman loved to throw out your name in the Jottings section as if you were going to be the savior of the Gophers Football program...so the pinnacle of your career is being a close, personal friend to Sid Hartman.

Shane Schilling: Drug Bust. I don't even know where to begin with this guy. His basketball career started to decline after his junior year of high school. Then as Bill Simmons would put it...he entered the "Tyson Zone". He randomly runs across Interstate 94 in the middle of the night (probably high off his ass) and was caught. He's charged with felonies of auto theft and receiving stolen property. Has a separate incident where he has a stand off with the police shouting "f****** pigs" at them while he is high on methamphetamine. Shane...you grew up in Minnetonka (or at least around that community)...you've even had some officers in your hometown area give you the benefit of the doubt and let you off on instances where they should have charged your ass. You're pathetic.

Tony Fiore: Prime example of why the win-loss record for a pitcher doesn't mean squat. Tony racked up an astonishing 10 wins pitching solely in middle relief during the 2002 campaign. After a short stint with the Twins in 2003, he was released and never reached the Major League level again.

Eddie Ortega: A very obscure memory...Ortega was an infielder for the St. Paul Saints...and every time he was up to bat...the announcer went all out on his last name,"Ort-eeegggaaa" similar to how Bob Casey hollered out "Kiirrbbbbyyyy" Puckett. Did you know Rey Ordonoz, Mike Mimbs, Kevin Millar, Leon Durham and Minnie Minoso were all on this same team in 2003 as well...?? And I remember Eddie Ortega of all people.

Jimmy Rodgers: I don't bash coaches...ok, yeah I do...but, only the ones I don't like. I don't think I can bash any coaches (except for Wittman) that the Timberwolves have had in their whole history...simply, because 1. the coaches haven't been around that long and 2. because they just haven't had enough talent on a consistent basis to even have high enough expectations to evaluate the coaches' on a serious basis. Jimmy Rodgers didn't even make it a year and a half with the club. But, his hair will forever live with me. He was balding on top, but he rocked the permed curls flowing on the sides and back...it was classic.

SBG

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Week 5 Recap: Vikings @ Rams

Vikings improve their record to 5-0 against the lowly Rams...here are some random things I took away:

* I understand we were playing the Rams...but, I think Benny Sapp is the real deal. He reminds me of the second coming of Antoine Winfield...an aggressive corner that loves to tackle and has decent, but not great coverage skills. Of course it helps when the only legitimate threat the Rams have on offense is Steven Jackson.

* Donnie Avery's touchdown dance when the game was already in the bag for the Vikings...basically, just sums up why the Rams are a joke this year and could be the one to go 0 - 16 this year, if there is a team that accomplishes this feat again this year.

* Was Phil Loadholdt not playing because of performance or injury? I still haven't heard word on why he was mysteriously pulled from the starting line-up.

* I've been seeing a trend of opposing tight ends racking up some major yards against our defense. Is this because of the scheme of our defense or the lack of talent on the linebacker level? We haven't exactly faced top notch tight ends either up to this point of the year.

* The next three games (Baltimore, @ Pittsburgh and @ Green Bay) on the schedule will be good competitiion to see what to expect from this team from here on out.

SBG

Friday, October 9, 2009

"Anthony"...a New York Yankees fan...

During baseball season I'm often involved in Howard Sinker's 220 club/blog..."A Fan's View" on the Star Tribune website while at work (shh!!...don't tell anyone). Every day has virtually been the same scrutiny on our local 9 ballclub. Why does Punto play...why do we have the pedestrian Brendan Harris as our DH, and we go on and on...

We just lost Game 1 of the ALDS, 7-2 to the Yankees. We weren't even as hard on the club as we usually are, based on how lucky we are just to be a part of the playoffs...but, out of nowhere Yankee fans/posters start going on and on about how great they are (we never get opposing teams fans in the comment section and if we do they applaud our team/organization).

I decided to pluck one guy's (Anthony) comments out for you...to show you my frustration towards these ignorant bastards. I'll also post my responses as well as other Twins fans'. Though he never really directs anything at me...he still irritates me to no end...I don't know what I want to accomplish with this post, other than to show my wife why I do the things I do when I watch games our local teams play in...the vulgar language, the kicking and punching of the couch, the turn the channel only to turn it back because I can't be a true fan that misses the ultimate comeback...these are the people that drive me to these extremes! Why they bug me...I don't know...they just do!! Go Twins...make it a series where New York has to sweat it out!

Anthony says:
October 8th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Funny reading all these ‘Twinkie’ fans writing as if they have a chance in the series with this AAA team other than Mauer. You’re 3-24 at Yankee stadium over the last few years and got spanked 8 straight now. Can’t wait until you open up your new ‘open air’ park and try to play games in October when it’s 20 degrees and snowing. Who thought of that ingenious idea? Should have stuck with that oversized Gladbag sh*thole…LOL

Shawn Bradley Guy says:
October 8th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Anthony,
Twins have a better chance in this series than you do of even buying a ticket, much less walking into the corporate-esque thing you call a baseball stadium.

mike wants wins says:
October 8th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
The average temperature in NYY land is 5 degrees warmer than in Mpls in October. It’s pretty much the same in Boston.
Of course, Anthony is not the only person that doesn’t bother looking up information in less than 1 minute on the internet….

Shawn Bradley Guy says:
October 8th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
How does Anthony even know what a triple A team is…if he’s a Yankees fan? Isn’t their farm system the rest of the Major League?

Anthony says:
October 8th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Hey Mike wants Wins: First of all the World Series is played in November where Minnesota averages lows in the mid 20’s and averages about 50 in. of snow every winter….You know New York has never had a problem outside based on all the World Series rings so lets see how that works out for you buddy boy!…LOL

Anthony says:
October 8th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Then all you Twinkie fans will shut your pie holes about how you’re going to win this series and realize you’re still living in East Bumblef*ck with nothing else going on but being up to your nuts in snow….Then what?…LOL

Shawn Bradley Guy says:
October 8th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Wouldn’t we be West Bumblef*ck to you?

Dood says:
October 8th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Geography bears no weight when comedy is in effect.

Anthony says:
October 8th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Dood you probably look like that neanderthal-looking Vikings Mascot, Ragnar that runs around with the fur outfit and the beard blowing the horn….LOL

Shawn Bradley Guy says:
October 8th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Anthony, I heard you resemble Rocky Dennis

He didn't respond after this comment...in Minnesota, we call this a "moral victory"!

SBG

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Game #163...Take Two

Twins Win! Twins Win! Twins Win!...here are some other random notes from the instant classic on 10/6/09...
  • Alexi Casilla...even though you are in the Michael Vick doghouse, which means you never get to play by the way...how can you be so clutch? You've had three game winning hits (in big games by the way) in a year...while playing part time. You rock!
  • Jose Morales...were you bought off by Jim Leyland? Good performance from our DH...6 pitches, 6 swing and misses...Gardy had to replace you with Brendan Harris during the middle innings. Looks like Mike Redmond will be on the roster again next year.
  • Kudos to Bobby Keppel and Joe Nathan for pitching out of jams...it was reminding me of the 1991 magic we had during our playoff runs.
  • Gardy...with our pitching staff...please start Young, Gomez and Span in the outfield and have Kubel DH for us. I'm done with this Morales bullshit.
  • Jim Leyland outmanaged himself. Why do you pull the dominating Porcello so early when your middle relief has been your achilles heel all year? The game substitutions also lacked common sense...you replace your hottest hitter (Ordonez) with a defensive replacement? You also put Adam Everett in for a pinch runner instead of leaving the speedy Santiago on the base paths...??
  • I'm so tired of the "poor Detroit...and how bad our economy is..." argument. That has nothing to do with baseball...and even if it did...how does that help us with the Miguel Cabrera getting drunk off his ass during a crucial series where they could have easily wrapped up the division with one more win in the White Sox series...instead he decides to drink heavily like I do, but he goes one up me and fights with his wife...stay classy Detroit!
  • Orlando Cabrera is finally a true Twin. He has created lasting memories for a generation of Twins fans. The two run homer against Miner was classic, but he topped that off with a line drive catch and doubling off Granderson on first base to end a scoring threat. Classic.

Today/tonight...we made more memories to cherish in this ugly dome we call home...it was a good day!

SBG

Week 4 Recap: Packers @ Vikings

These are some of the randoms thoughts I took away from the most over-hyped week 4 game ever in the history of the NFL:

* Packer fans suck...Vikings win...but, they'll come up with every excuse in the book on how we stole this game. Complaining about the phantom pass interference call on Woodson (where he intercepted it in the endzone) is pointless anyways...because there were TWO flags on the play...and both penalties were against the Packers (offsides and pass interference).

* Vikings defense is still solid. Yes, Aaron Rodgers almost racked up 400 yards passing. But, the defense does a great job limiting the opponents scoring...which is all that matters. The first touchdown allowed was a broken play (credit the Packers, but it wasn't because of schemes). The second touchdown was the result of Adrian Peterson's fumble recovery and return. Take those 14 off the board and the Packers legitimately scored 9 points. I'll take my homer glasses off now...

* We have another Deanna Favre sighting...I understand the connection between her and the breast cancer awareness...but, has any other players' wives (besides Brenda Warner) received this much TV coverage without being a celebrity themselves. I think not...

* Credit Sidney Rice for going up and catching the two onside kick attempts. I watched this same play when the Packers and Bengals played in week 2. No one on the Bengals team wanted anything to do with the ball, hence Green Bay recovered it and almost drove down the field and won the game.

* Look at it like this...Packers gameplan seemed to be to take away our two most explosive players (Peterson and Harvin). Favre adjusts and spreads the ball all around using the likes of Shiancoe, Berrian and Rice. This is what it's like to have an actual NFL caliber quarterback. The Vikings have been missing that the last several years.

SBG